1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an automotive vehicle washing system. More specifically, the present invention relates to an automotive vehicle washing system generally of the “rollover” type, which includes a plurality of fluid dispensing devices that are configured to travel along a path over the vehicle and each emit fluid thereby improving the efficiency of the vehicle cleaning process.
2. Description of Related Art
The manufacture, sale, and operation of automotive vehicle washing equipment is big business in the United States and many other countries. The term “automotive vehicle washing”, as used herein, refers to wet washing the external surfaces of virtually any type of vehicle from ordinary passenger cars to busses, trucks, vans and even train cars and airplanes.
Various types of automotive vehicle washing systems are known. Two basic systems have been developed and are well known. One type of system consists of so called contact types wherein brushes or pads come into physical contact with the vehicle body to perform the washing function. A second type of system widely used is commonly referred to in the art as a non-contact or touchless system. Still further, so-called tunnel or drive through washing systems of both types are well known. Additionally, so-called “rollover” systems of both types wherein the vehicle remains stationary in the wash bay and the system moves with respect to the vehicle to perform the washing operation are also well known.
“Rollover” type washing systems, which move with respect to a stationary vehicle during the wash cycles, have certain advantages over the other types of systems. Several improvements have been sought for in-bay or “rollover” automatic vehicle wash systems to improve the effectiveness of cleaning the entire vehicle surface, to improve operational life of the system, and to increase the speed of the wash process. Still further, improvements have been sought to provide for application of wash chemicals and rinse water effectively to all parts of the vehicle, provide all-weather use of the system and to minimize maintenance requirements for the system while also providing a fast and effective washing cycle.
While these improved systems have yielded satisfactory results, they still suffer from some disadvantages.